License to Grill

Super Secret Service Sauce Burgers with Triple Threat Roasted Balsamic Potato Salad
Summer is finally here and it's time to relish in the long hours of light and balmy summer air with what else? Grilling. Nothing says summer better than firing up the grill for an evening of burgers, beer, and friendship. For several days prior towards our grilling-get-together, I mused over the possibilities and decided I had to develop my own "secret sauce" for our burgers. Lucky for you, I decided not to keep it a secret. Instead, I want to share this delicious jalapeño-spiked dressing with the masses. And what better side for a tasty burger than a decidedly non-mayonnaise based potato salad? It was a hit. This seasoned burger was easy to make and with caramelized onions . . . a complete masterpiece of grilling. Seriously. It's worth the effort. This recipe seems very involved, but it's really quite easy. Much of if can be done ahead of time and stored until you are ready to grill.

Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 8 hamburger buns
- sliced tomato
- lettuce
- sliced cheddar cheese
- garlic salt
- onion powder
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt and ground pepper
- 1/2 c. mayonnaise
- 1/4 c. ketchup
- 2-3 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
- 1/4 c. diced pickled jalapeño peppers
- 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, diced into 1" chunks
- 3 Yukon Gold potatoes diced into 1" chunks
- 3 red potatoes, diced into 1" chunks
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3 medium sized sweet yellow onions
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
- 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2-3 large shallots, peeled and sliced thin crosswise
- juice from one lemon

SUPER SECRET SERVICE SAUCE
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, Sriracha sauce, and jalapenño peppers. Season with 1 tsp. garlic salt and 1 tsp. of onion powder. Taste. Seriously . . . taste it for seasoning. Do you like it? Most likely it needs to be seasoned with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a little of each. Taste again. If it is seasoned to your liking, go for it. If not. Try spicing it up with an extra squirt of Sriracha sauce and some extra salt and pepper. When the sauce it seasoned to your liking, cover in plastic wrap and store in fridge until you are ready for use. Can be made ahead of time, at least a day or two in advance if necessary.

TRIPLE THREAT ROASTED BALSAMIC POTATO SALAD
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a heavy baking sheet with foil and spray down with cooking spray to prevent potatoes from sticking. Arrange potatoes and sliced shallots on the baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle with 2-3 Tbsp. of good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Toss lightly with your hands to make sure that the oil is evenly distributed on the potatoes. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes have soften and are beginning to turn brown on the edges. If you taste one, it should be tender and sweet with a slight crispness in the skin.

Set potatoes aside for a few minute to cool and then place in a large serving bowl. Squeeze the juice from one lemon over the potato mixture and drizzle with 1-2 additional Tbsp. of olive oil to make sure than potato salad is moist. Toss with Italian parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. If you make this ahead, you can store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, covered in plastic wrap. If made shortly before serving, leave out, covered in plastic to be served at room temperature. So yummy!

 THE BURGERS
I have always believed the best way to make a slam-dunk burger is to season the meat prior to grilling. To make this flavorful beefy-beast, place ground beef in a large bowl and sprinkle liberally with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add 1-2 tsp. of garlic salt to the mix and 3-4 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce. Work seasoning into ground beef with bare hands. When ingredients are thoroughly combined form 8 palm-sized 1/4 lb. patties with hands and arrange on a waxed-paper lined cookie sheet in a single lager for grilling. Press a small indentation into the center of each burger before grilling. This ensures that the burgers will remain flat and won't puff up when you cook them.

Grill burgers for 4-5 minutes per side over a hot grill for medium rare. Top with cheese and cover to melt for 1 minutes. Remove from grill and tent with foil for several minutes before serving. Slater burgers buns with Super Secret Service Spicy Sauce then sprinkle bottom with caramelized onions. Top with a burger patty, tomato slice, lettuce, and bun top. Serve with potato salad. It's seriously so good. I promise. The sauce definitely has bite to it. If you like spicy stuff, you won't be disappointed.



 

Meat That Can't Be Beat

Braised Short Ribs in Sun Dried Tomato Gravy with Cheesy Polenta
It's surprisingly easy to make a meal that looks like something you would get in a restaurant. Short ribs a very deceptive in this manner. They are incredibly rich and fall-from-the-bone tender, but actually inexpensive and easy to prepare. For several weeks I had been craving beef in all its rich and fatty glory. A trip Costco and a bulk package of short ribs fulfilled this desire. The weather has been perfect for the house to fill up with the smells of slow-simmering meat and onions. The meal? Delicious. And yielded plenty of leftovers for paninis, nachos, and whatever other beef-centered meals I felt like throwing together. Mmmm. Meat! It's a little bit time-consuming, but I promise it's easy and well worth the effort!

Ingredients
- 5 lbs. short ribs, cut into 3-4" pieces
- 8 oz. jar of sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 4 c. chopped yellow onion
- 3 stalks chopped celery
- 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 2 c. chopped carrots
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 4 c.milk
- 1 c. dried polenta
- Italian parsley
- 1 c. shredded Colby-Jack cheese

BRAISED RIBS
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Season ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Set meat aside. Drain the oil from jar of sun dried tomatoes. Set tomatoes aside and pour oil into a large Dutch oven. Heat oil over medium. Brown meat in batches in oil on each side, about 10 minutes per batch. Set browned meat aside and scrape brown bits from the bottom of Dutch oven with a wooden spoon. Add onions to oil, adding a little olive oil if the pot has become a little dry. Stir frequently until the onions begin to become translucent. Add carrots, celery, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until all the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sun dried tomatoes and stir mixture.

Arrange pieces of beef on top of the vegetables and cover mixture with a bottle of red wine and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil. Remove Dutch oven from stove and cover with lid. Put the covered Dutch oven into the preheated oven and braise for 2 and a half hours until meat becomes very tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before putting Dutch oven into the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to serve, remove Dutch oven from refrigerator and scrape the layer of fat from the top of mixture. The fat will rise to the top and solidify as the mixture cools and should be easy to scrape out with a wooden spoon. Discard fat. Put Dutch oven back on the stove and reheat meat mixture over medium-low heat until everything is warmed through, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make polenta. After ribs are heated. Remove from Dutch oven and place on a platter, cover with foil to keep warm. Strain liquids from the Dutch oven and discard solids (the mushy cooked vegetables). Return liquid to Dutch oven and simmer over low to thicken slightly into gravy. Season ribs and gravy with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.

CHEESY POLENTA
Heat 4 c. of milk over medium heat in a large pot until it just starts to bubble at the edges. Add 1 c. of dried polenta. Simmer over medium, stirring frequently until polenta thickens, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, stir in shredded cheese, and chopped Italian parsley. Put a large dollop of polenta on a plate, arrange several ribs on top and pour a little bit of gravy on top. Yum!

Best of Both Worlds

Super Mac and Bacon-Cheese Burger

Okay- maybe this isn't the best dish for all those out there who have so recently vowed to "eat healthier" in the new year. Fine. But in my defense . . . there are tomatoes in the recipe. Upon my weekly pre-shopping fridge inventory, I found an abundance of bacon. While the idea of bacon cheese burgers was a tempting dinner prospect, looking ahead at my rehearsal schedule for the week, I knew I would need to make a meal that would yield lots of leftovers. I put this together to bring together two of my favorite meals: mac and cheese and bacon cheese burgers. It seemed a natural fit. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 Tbsp. butter, plus extra for greasing pan
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1 qt. whole milk
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lb. sharp orange cheddar cheese, grated
- 3 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced crosswise into 12 disks
- 1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Lightly grease a 13x9" baking dish with butter.

Bring 4 qts. water to a boil over high heat to cook pasta according to package directions.

While water is boiling, heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon until browned. Season with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and spoon ground beef into a separate bowl. Return Dutch oven to heat and add chopped bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the bacon is browned, but not yet crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pot and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Return Dutch oven to medium heat and add chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onions soften and begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn heat slightly lower and add 4 Tbsp. butter. Let melt over medium-low heat and then add flour. Whisk flour, onions, and butter together for 1 minute. When a thick paste forms begin to add milk, 1 c. at a time, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a simmer and allow to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add half of the grated cheese and mustard to mixture. Simmer over heat until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and return cooked bacon to cheese mixture.

Meanwhile, boil macaroni according to package directions. When cooked al dente, drain water, and add pasta to cheese mixture. Stir to combine thoroughly.

Spread half of the macaroni and cheese mixture into the bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle cooked ground beef on top of pasta. Spread remaining pasta on top of beef. Then arrange sliced tomatoes on top of macaroni layer. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Then top with an even layer of remaining grated cheese and sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until cheese becomes brown and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Eat up! Yum.

Everything's Better With Bacon

Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Bacony Brussels Sprouts

Meatloaf is just one of those great comfort foods perfect for warm and fuzzy family dinners or (in my case tonight) friends and Scrabble. A moist and well-seasoned meatloaf is a great and hearty meal for meat-lovers and a sneaky way of slipping lots of vegetables onto the plate of a picky eater.

This recipe is a full dinner menu- complete with two easy and delicious side dishes. The roasted garlic addition to the mashed potatoes steps up a tried and true side dish to something a little more elegant and, in the case of the Brussels sprouts (as this blog title would indicate) . . . bacon just makes it better! The sides can also compliment other great dinners, try them with roast chicken or a pork loin.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 slices of whole wheat bread, ground up in food processor into breadcrumbs
- 3 carrots, peeled and minced
- 3 sticks celery, trimmed and minced
- 1 large onion, peeled and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 Tbsp. grill seasoning
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 Tbsp. ketchup
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 c. barbecue sauce plus 1 Tbsp.
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 head garlic
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and quartered
- 2 Tbsp. half and half
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- fresh chives, minced
- 1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. dried Herbs d' Provence

In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, 1 Tbsp. barbecue sauce, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, egg, grill seasoning, and salt and pepper. I find that the best way to combine meatloaf ingredients is with your bare hards. Work the mixture until all the ingredients are well combined. Transfer mixture to an 13" oval or rectangular baking dish and shape it into a 10x4" loaf shape. Brush loaf with half of the 1/4 c. of barbecue sauce, then wrap loaf in eight strips of bacon laying them lengthwise across. Brush bacon layer with remaining barbecue sauce. Place loaf pan into a preheated 350˚ oven and bake 40-50 minutes until meat is cooked through.

While meatloaf is baking, take head of garlic and trim top 1/2" away to expose individual cloves, place in a small sheet of foil, drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Wrap head of garlic in foil and then place in oven on rack beside meat loaf pan. Roast garlic about 30 minutes, remove from oven, and allow to cool before handling.

While garlic is roasting, scrub and quarter potatoes (leave skins on), trim brussles sprouts, chop chives, dice bacon, and bring two medium heavy sauce pots of water to a boil. Place potatoes in boiling water and cook until they are soft enough to pierce easily with the tip of a knife (about 12-15 minutes). Drain potatoes and return to pot, add half and half, butter, chives, salt and pepper, and squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins into mixture. Whip potatoes with a hand-held mixer until creamy, add more salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm. When meatloaf is cooked through, remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest about 10 minutes before cutting.

While meatloaf is resting, blanch brussles sprouts in boiling water until slightly softened and bright green (2-3 minutes). Drain. While sprouts are blanching, cook diced bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown. Remove bacon from skillet and allow to drain on a paper towel-lined plate, reserve 2 Tbsp. rendered bacon fat in pan. Return pan to medium heat, add sprouts, and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper and Herbs de Provence. Remove from heat and toss with diced, cooked bacon.

That's it! While not a lightening-fast dinner in 30 minutes, it's easy enough to put it all together in about an hour . . . not too shabby. Serve it all together! What a lovely plate. Serve potatoes with extra butter and try the meatloaf with either ketchup or barbecue sauce as a topping. It's quite tasty and really filling. I think you'll like it.

Stewin' in Your Own Juices

Oh So Tasty Beef and Beer Stew

Two of the many things we are never lacking in the Northwest are rain and delicious, locally brewed beers. This yummy stew recipe brings together a uniquely Northwest experience- perfect for a rainy evening when you need to be warmed from the inside out. The rich, bitterness of a good porter with a nice pot of slow-cooked beef? It's everything you're craving on a chilly November night.

Ingredients
- 3 lbs. stew beef, cut into 2" cubes
- 1 1/2 lbs. pearl onions, peeled
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 spring fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage leaves, minced
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 pt. dark beer (such as a stout or porter)
- 2 c. beef broth
- 1/2 lb. baby carrots
- 1 lb. small red potatoes, halved
- salt and pepper
- pinch of sugar

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown beef cubes in Dutch oven, turning to brown all sides (about 5-6 minutes per batch). Transfer beef to a bowl and cover with foil. In same Dutch oven, add remaining olive oil, onions, garlic, and chopped herbs. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to soften onions. Add flour and tomato paste. Stir for one minute, creating a thick paste. Add broth and stir until thick, scraping up brown bits from bottom of Dutch oven with a wooden spoon (about 2 minutes). Add beer, a sprinkle of sugar, and beef and any juices back to Dutch oven. Cover partially, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove cover, add carrots, potatoes, and 1 tsp. of salt and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, until beef, carrots, and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and wait 5 minutes before serving.

While super easy to throw together, this stew is not a quick dish. Plan ahead to put it together for a filling weekend family-style supper or a night when you have a little more time to watch the stove. The prep time is fairly minimal, but allow for about 90 minutes for the stew to . . . well . . . stew! It's definitely worth the wait. If you have a crock-pot, brown the beef in a skillet, then add it and the other ingredients to the slow-cooker. Cook over low for 6-8 hours and enjoy a hearty meal when you get home from work.

Curry in a Hurry

Thai Style Red Coconut Curry and Beef

We all have those days . . . yes, even me- the Dinner Diva. My day started at 5 a.m., I commuted an hour and twenty minutes (nearly 80 miles) to get to work, spent a day on my feet teaching and maintaining a level of frantic energy for my students, ran work-related errands, and after all that . . . had a two hour rehearsal! I was ready for dinner on the table and in my face immediately after rehearsal . . . but, unfortunately, had another 80 mile commute to get back home. I spent much of the drive thinking to myself, "I don't want to cook tonight- I'm friggin' tired! Perhaps . . . take-out?" But then about three miles from good old Exit 283, I remembered several things. First of all, most of my days are like this- busy and crazed! Second, I have everything sitting there in my kitchen waiting for me to make my own delicious take-out Thai food in less time than it would take me to get home to let the dog out, get to the restaurant, order the food, wait for the food . . . you get the idea! Third, the process of cooking dinner is a relaxing experience. Sautéing vegetables and sipping a glass of wine can actually be a great way to unwind at the end of the day. And my reward for sticking to my planned menu and not taking the road to Take-Out Town? A delicious and inexpensive meal in about twenty minutes after I walked in the door.

I love Thai food! So spicy! So colorful! So yummy! Unfortunately the town where I currently reside is devoid of anything even resembling Thai food. I devised this recipe as a quick and inexpensive way to enjoy the take-out experience at home on a weeknight. The recipe can easily feed four (maybe more) for about ten bucks. Really.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. stir-fry beef (skirt steak or some cheap cut of beef, sliced into strips), seasoned with salt
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 1 onion, peeled, halved, and sliced thin
- 1 Japanese eggplant, sliced into disks
- 1/2 c. frozen peas
- 1 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp. red curry paste
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- salt
- 8 oz. rice noodles

In a medium heavy-bottomed sauce pan, bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add rice noodles and cook 3-4 minutes until noodles are tender. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Add 1 Tbsp. curry paste and beef. Stir fry over medium heat for about 4 minutes until beef is browned on the outside with a little pink in the middle. Using a slotted spoon, remove beef from skillet and put into a large bowl. Add remaining oil to pan and add eggplant. Stir fry 1-2 minutes over medium heat then add carrot, onion, and bell pepper. Stir fry 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat until vegetables begin to soften. Season with about 1 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Add vegetables to bowl with beef. Add coconut milk, pepper flakes, fish sauce, and remaining curry paste to same skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook on stove top about 3 minutes for sauce to thicken. Add peas to skillet and cook over heat for about 2 minutes. Return beef and vegetables to skillet and stir to combine. Add rice noodles to mixture and toss until sauce and ingredients are well combined. Remove from heat. Serve. Put in your face!

As a note . . . don't bother with light coconut milk. The slight calorie difference is not worth the loss of creaminess you get from using regular coconut milk. Really.

Comfort Food: Italian Style

Quick Bolognese Sauce and Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Long day? Ready for something hearty and delicious on a cold, dreary evening? Traditional Bolognese can be quite a lengthy affair requiring hours of stove top cook time. It yields a rich, flavorful sauce . . . but there is a time and a place for everything! This recipe delivers on the flavor in less than a hour and is perfect for weeknight dinners with a nice glass of red wine . . . the bottle is already open anyway!

I like things pretty spicy and use hot Italian sausage and very generous amounts of pepper flakes in the dish! If you prefer a milder taste, ease off on the pepper flakes and substitute the spicy sausage for a sweet variety.

Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 lb. hot Italian pork sausage removed from casings
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1-2 tsp, crushed red pepper flakes
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 c. dry red wine
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes w/ juices
- 1/3 c. heavy cream, room temperature
- a generous handful of chopped Italian parsley
- 8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
- 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add carrot and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add sausage, garlic, and pepper flakes to pot, cook and stir 3-4 minutes breaking up sausage as it cooks with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is light brown, but not yet cooked completely through. Add tomato paste and wine and stir into mixture. Simmer about 2 minutes to reduce liquid. Add tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes for sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and add cream and parsley, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. While sauce simmers, boil pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving some cooking liquid. Add pasta to sauce and toss to combine. Add some of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Divide pasta among plates and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy the tastiness!

Serves 4